"U" - "V" & "W" is for ....................

Winding down on ALPHABET in AUGUST over at Cliot's Run.

ULTIMATE - When I first meet someone I always wonder what ULTIMATE (final point or result) that person is working toward or aiming for.  Everyone will have an ULTIMATE destination or end of some kind or another.  It is a very important question for each of us to ask ourselves and then even more important to settle on a worthy ULTIMATE goal.  Mine is to live out my life to the ULTIMATE within my ability that I might reach my ULTIMATE goal, which is to run the race my Lord and Savior has set before me until the end.  I'm curious what your ULTIMATE goal in this life is?

VIOLIN - I love VIOLIN music.  It is so beautiful and soothing.  I tried to play the VIOLIN when I was in grade school but never mastered it so I stuck with my piano.  I truly admire people who have mastered this beautiful instrument.

WALK - This certainly has to be my "W" words for August.  I began walking, on a daily basis on July 7th by walking .4 miles.  As of today I have walked for 56 consecutive days and am now walking 1 to 1.5 miles per day.  I walk first thing every morning, right after sunrise, because we are having the hottest summer on record with our temperature up over 100 and sometimes as high as 107.  I also thought it might get easier after 56 days but it has not and I'm having to use my "T" word - Tenacity to get out there each and every morning!!!

"T" is for.........TENANCIOUS

The month is winding to a close and so is my ALPHABET in AUGUST posts over at Cliot's Run.

TENACIOUS - I love this word and it is definitely one of my strong points.  If once I start something I am TENACIOUS about finishing it whether that is reading a book, working on a prayer shawl, fighting for my marriage, my children or grandchildren, weeding a flower bed, etc.  The area I have not been TENACIOUS in is losing weight :o)  I don't know why this has been such an area of defeat for me but sadly to say, it has been.  But, I have not totally given up yet either!!

TESTIMONY - Every Christian has a TESTIMONY and as Christians we should be eager to share our TESTIMONY because it really isn't about us, but about how Jesus sought us and what He has done for us and with us.  My TESTIMONY is on my side bar, and if you have not read it I invite you to do so.

I would love for you to share your TESTIMONY with me!!!!

"S" is for.................SIMPLE

Did Spiritual Sunday on Saturday!!!! so I guess I can do ALPHABET in AUGUST on Sunday this time.  Participating in this through Cloit's Run

SIMPLE - At the top of my page is the quote "If you keep things SIMPLE they'll stay pure."  I have that quote there because I truly believe this is a truth.  I think we complicate too many things, and in doing so we lose the pure, unadulterated truth and end up making a big mess of things. 

SUSAN - Of course this is my name!!!  But I have always been grateful for my name and here is why.  My father's name was Henry Harrison Errett and when they knew they were expecting me they decided, if I was a girl, they were going to name me Henrietta after my father.  Fortunately, I had a 12 year old 1/2 sister that informed my mother & father that is they named me Henrietta she would not claim me!!!  I have always been grateful to Marion for speaking up for me because I would have hated to have been Henrietta Errett.  It just doesn't flow off the tongue well.  Further on my name, they chose the name SUSAN after my Paternal Grandmother, who was deceased before I was born.  As a further bit of non-important information about me:  when I was a pre-teen I got the bright idea that I wished my parents had named me CAROL because of being born on Christmas!!!  Another tid-bit of information on my name:  I was not given a middle name because when I was born I had convulsions and was not expected to live and in the hurry of the naming they only selected the one name.

This name business has been more information than you ever wanted, or needed, to know.  But it is all about my name - SUSAN, which by the way I have always liked and why I named my first child, Suzette.

Have a very blessed Sabbath.

THE VISIBLE CHURCH vs THE BODY OF CHRIST

I am participating in Spiritual Sunday.  Please go here to see many other Spiritual Sunday posts.

Coweta Assembly of God

This is the visible image of the church I attend in Coweta, Oklahoma.

 The visible institution is certainly ONE of the images of the church, but the TRUE image of the church should be ALL Christians.

It should be The Body of Christ, whatever name is on the building.

The Body of Christ has Jesus name in and on the hearts of every member. 

The Body of Christ is being the hands, feet, mouths, eyes, ears, etc. of Jesus in our daily, hourly, moment by moment life.  

  

The Body of Christ is busy ministering to the world around us where ever Jesus has chosen to place us.

So my question to you today is.....

Do you belong to a Church? 

Or do you belong to The Body of Christ?

 

"Q" & "R" stand for .............

OK, 2 more letters today as I work to finish up ALPHABET in AUGUST over at Cliot's Run.

'Q' is for QUIET -I love my quiet time and my spirit and soul need it!!!  When we was raising our 4 children I would usually stay up until 1 o'clock in the morning, even though I worked and we got up by 6 a.m., simply because the QUIET time was more important to me than sleep.  Fortunately, I am also blessed not to require a lot of sleep.  Mickey & I share most everything, as most of you know, and we talk a lot but we also can just be together and QUIET without the need to say anything.  I think that's the way our Lord wants us to be sometimes, too. 

'R' is for RELIGION - I hate RELIGION.  That probably shocks some of you but it is the truth.  RELIGION distorts the pure, simple, truth of Christianity and our faith in the Triune God.  RELIGION has done much harm in the world and is one of satan's tools.  Whenever any one calls me "RELIGIOUS" I politely correct them!!!  If it is anything I do not want to be it is "RELIGIOUS". 

'R' is for RECONCILE - I am a firm believer in RECONCILIATION and the importance of it in every area of our lives.  First, we must be RECONCILED to God and then we must be RECONCILED to each other.  No matter what has happened, how wrong we have been, or how wronged we have been by someone or something else, we must be RECONCILED and make the necessary amends.

'R' is for REGRET - We all have REGRETS in our lives; either for things we have done, things others have done to us, things that have happened, and sometimes dreams and hopes that have not been fulfilled.  We must not let any of these REGRETS become a stumbling block to us, but must make the RECONCILIATION needed and then move on and determine to be all God wants and intends us to be.     

The Letter "N" - "O" - & "P"

Oh my, I am falling so far behind in ALPHABET in AUGUST and only on the 14th letter and there are only 6 days left in August so I am going to bunch them up and do 3 letters today.  As always I am participating in this exercise that Cliot's Run is featuring.

'N' is for.....NEED - We all have many NEEDS and our biggest NEED is to make Jesus both Lord and Savior of our lives.  Unfortunately too many people accept Him as Savior but never make Him Lord of their lives.  The Bible tells us that God will meet our every NEED and I have experienced this over my entire long life. 

NEEDY - The world is so full of many NEEDY people.  People who no matter what they acquire, what they accomplish, what they achieve, are never content, happy or satisfied but are still NEEDY.  A NEEDY person sucks the very life out of everything and everyone it comes in contact with.  It breaks my heart to see NEEDY people because I know all they truly NEED is Jesus.

'O' is for.....OWNERSHIP - This word means several things to me:   being raised by a father who was in the Real Estate business I grew up knowing the value of OWNERSHIP in your own home.  I was raised in a home that my parents OWNED and during the 52+ years of Mickey & my marriage we have only rented 3 times (when we first moved to Denver for a year before purchasing a home), (when we first moved to Tulsa for a year before purchasing a home)and (1 year in Albuquerque when we moved there to take my mother back as she was nearing death).  We have OWNED 6 different homes during these years and have OWNED our current one in Coweta for the past 14 years. 

OWNERSHIP also means to me taking OWNERSHIP (responsibility) of our actions, deeds, thoughts, words, just everything about us.  It seems in the world today there is very little of this type OWNERSHIP.  Instead everyone wants to blame someone else or something else for everything.  I have always talked full OWNERSHIP of myself and my actions. It is one of the core values we taught our children and all 4 of our children take full OWNERSHIP of themselves.

'P' is for.....PRAYER - In my opinion the most important part of our Christian walk is PRAYER.  We begin that journey with PRAYER when we confess our sins and ask Jesus to come into our heart and forgive us.  The Bible tells us to PRAY without ceasing....when I was a new Christian that always baffled me because I thought, "How can we be praying all the time when there are other things I have to do and be involved in?" but I've come to realize what that means to me is having Christ, God, The Holy Spirit first and foremost in our minds at all times and whether something good or bad happens our immediate response is to praise Him or/and ask for His help and intervention.  I am thankful to have a God who hears and answers our PRAYERS.  I am glad He not only asks us, but commands us, to PRAY one for another. 

I hope I'm not boring my readers with this project.  It has forced me to think very deeply about some of the values I hold most important in my life and has been good for me!

'M' is for..........................MANY

Day 13 of my participation in ALPHABET in AUGUST.  So go to Cliot's Run and check it out.

MANY - A funny word to start with but I've been thinking about so MANY words and things as I've been writing these post the past 13 days.  Sometimes its important to take time to look at MANY things in life and I've enjoyed dealing with the words that have special meaning to me.  I've also noticed that most of my words have been action words - because I am a person of action and activity.  Not a sit around and do nothing person.

MANAGING -  I like to MANAGE my life, my affairs, my money, my spiritual walk.  I've come to the conclusion I am a MANAGER.

MARRIAGE - Of course this had to be one of my "M" words because of the wonderful MARRIAGE Mickey and I have managed to carve out and create for ourselves, with that Third Cord of Jesus!!!!  Although it is almost perfect now, we have, over the years, had to work through many issues, hurts, disappointments, etc.  My MESSAGE (another good "M" word) is don't give up and keep going and it can be done......and the doing is well worth it!!

MEMORY - I am so grateful for my MEMORY and for all the wonderful MEMORIES I have.  MEMORIES, good and bad, are ours.  We possess them and we need to remember and treasure them.

MONEY - Is a very important thing in this life but it certainly is not the most important thing.  I believe too many spend too much time concentrating on earning it and spending it, instead of using it for The Kingdom and for good.  We use our money wisely and I am quite frugal.  I was raised with those values and I am glad they were instilled into me by my parents.

MERCY - Where would any of us be without MERCY.  We all need it, and our Lord gives it so freely.  I am so very grateful for the MERCY bestowed on me and mine.